LANDI KOTAL (Khyber Agency), April 27: Dozens of children staged a protest demonstration at Torkhum on Wednesday against alleged excesses of border guards. They carry vegetable, fruit and other goods of everyday use to the other side of the border to earn livelihood.

Fifteen-year-old Dawa Khan, a representative for the carriers, alleged that the border guards demanded Rs100 per trip which he said they were unable to pay.

He said that most of his colleagues were either orphans or their parents were too old to feed them. Dawa Khan said there was no restriction on their movement as they had been in the business for two to three years.

He said that with the appointment of a new official of the Frontier Constabulary, a ban on their ‘business’ had been imposed.

The protesting children chanted slogan against the border officials and warned to block the Torkhum border if they were stopped running their business.